Twin Destiny
by Draco the Spirit Dragon
Summary: An Ichirukia fanfic, but also with side plots that strongly feature Karin, Yuzu, Tōshirō, Kenpachi and Yachiru. Also a sequel to the one shot Family Honour. Azien may be dead, but that doesn't mean that danger is...
1. Chapter 1

Twin Destiny

_Sometimes two strands of fate can become entwined and change both there fates forever._

_Sometimes that pair of changed threads can change others threads fates _

**A/N: A few comments on content before start, while this is a fanfic which focuses mostly on romance and humour, there are fair few sections of grim seriousness in it as well. **

**Also some of the humour is delivered from making comments and references to various none Bleach related topics, mostly western fantasy. While knowing your western fantasy isn't necessary to get all the jokes, it helps.**

**A final point before the story starts proper. At each chapters end there a humorous mini story that often but not always references back to the main story and the one shot prequel Family Honour. This isn't part of the real story line but I hope it gives a few chuckles.**

Chapter 1: Remembrance

Rukia woke up with a sad sigh as she realised what day it was. She dressed herself and made her way to the kitchen were Yuzu had most likely made a nice breakfast ready for her.

She was wasn't wrong..

"Hello Rukia!" Yuzu said happily as Rukia entered the kitten, sat down and started to eat her lovely prepared breakfast with a clear lack of enthusiasm. It didn't take Yuzu long to notice.

"You ok Rukia?" she asked in a concerned tone. Rukia slowly nodded at the young Kurosaki. Yuzu sighed with a disappointed face. "Fine don't tell me then"

A painful silence filled the kitchen and then he came down, Ichigo. Rukia didn't even have the strength to meet his gaze.

"Hey Yuzu… Rukia" he said casually before catching the atmosphere. "What's up?"

"Rukia is sad" Yuzu said softly. Rukia sighed.

"I'm fine," Rukia said while rapidly finishing off her breakfast. "And I'm going for a walk"

Walking didn't seem to help Rukia. In fact she would go as far as saying that it made her feel worse and worse with every step. She raised her leg up and hit her foot against the pavement hard.

She couldn't forget him, she couldn't forget that day and it hurt so hard on this day of all days especially. The day that was the anniversary of Vice-Captain Kaien Shiba death.

Yuzu found her sister Karin after breakfast and they talked.

"So Rukia was all depressed first thing this morning and refusing to look at brother in the eyes" she whispered quietly to her sister while looking back at there bedrooms door. Karin looked at her sister a few moments.

"How did Ichigo react to her doing that?" Karin asked in a concerned tone.

"He was all confused and after Rukia walked out asked me what was wrong" Yuzu explained to her sister.

"Yuzu… I think Rukia might be planning something, perhaps something rash, then when she does Ichigo will defiantly do something really rash" Karin told her twin seriously.

"So you think we be best finding Rukia then before she does something to do with whatever she's planning then?" Yuzu asked her sister.

"And I think mentioning the name Captain Hitsugaya well certainly make her more willing to listen to us sister..." Said Karin with a rather serous tone.

Yuzu nodded. She trusted her sister.

Rukia swung herself on the swing. She had eventually just given up on the whole walking thing and now just swung herself on the swing in a child's park. She sighed as she thought _Kaien why did you have to die when I finally found my home? _She almost missed the familiar slight spiritual pressure of Karin as she came up behind her.

"Rukia why are you sad?" Yuzu asked in her in her so innocent and sweet voice. Rukia bit her lip and stared at the floor of the playground.

"Is it a **Shinigami** thing Rukia?" asked the considerably less sweet voice of Karin, who tone was very much more demanding. Rukia head spun around so quick that she nearly fell of her swing.

"Where did you hear that word Karin?" Rukia asked sharply.

"It doesn't matter Rukia, all you need to know is I seen Hyōrinmaru in the hands of Captain Hitsugaya and fought Hallows before even that." Said Karin firmly, Yuzu stared at her sister as she spoke "and I know if your worried and being eaten up inside Kuchiki–sama, then I should be taking notice"

Rukia knew the extra respectful usage of her name was not accidental; Karin wasn't being demanding because she hated Rukia, she was being demanding because she was worried.

"It not Shinigami… it personal, buts it's partly because I am Shinigami that I feel this way right now" Rukia explain softly to the twin's "While I can't expect you to know how it feels to live long enough to have regrets, I think you can both understand how it feels to lose someone close to your hearts"

They both looked at her with remorseful faces. Undoubtedly thinking of there late mother.

"Who were they to you Kuchiki–sama?" Karin asked respectfully.

"A person who treated me with acceptance and brought a lot of light to my heart." Rukia replied.

"And what does have to do with brother?" Yuzu inquired.

"There too alike for me today." Rukia said while tears were threatening to come from her eyes. There was silence for a while between the three of them.

"Rukia, brother doesn't know does he?" Yuzu said with her eyes locked on Rukia's.

"He wouldn't…" Rukia started but was interrupted by Karin.

"Understand? Or perhaps you think he be better off not knowing?" Her tone was aggressive and conformational. "Because Rukia if you think that, you are a fool. Ichigo cares about you and sooner or latter he going to hear why you are sad from somewhere, and if its not you Rukia, he be hurt that his trust and faith in you was one sided."

The words cut her like a knife.

"Brother cares about you Rukia, and we care about you too!" Yuzu added rapidly after Karin's speech in much more gentle tone.

"And don't even think about saying, I tell him tomorrow either" Karin continued in same tone. The next few moments of silence were filled only by the stern gaze of Karin and the softer more affectionate gaze of Yuzu.

"Today the day" was the only words Rukia could muster after the silence.

The rest of the day went slowly for Rukia, maybe it was because the silence, maybe it was because she couldn't look Ichigo in the eye or just maybe it was the constant glances from the Kurosaki twins. Needless to say by the time evening came around it had been a rather long day for Kuchiki Rukia. And now as the day was coming to an end she was feeling increasingly anxious. The feeling wasn't helped by Karin constant subtle references to not putting things off either.

So here she now was staring at Ichigo's door. Her legs were shaking and her heart pounding so fast that she felt like she might die a second time. All she had to do was open that door and tell him about the most painful chapter of her history. And it wasn't like she put it off till eleven thirty at night either.

It was eleven _twenty nine_ at night instead. She pushed open the door quietly and walked nervously into his room in her pyjamas and much to Rukia's surprise Ichigo was awake in his pyjamas and reading a manga by lamplight.

"Evening Rukia" he said in a slightly subdued tone.

"You're still awake?" she asked softly while staring at the bedrooms floor.

"Can't sleep for some reason, might have something to do with you refusal to look or talk to me properly all day" he said with an accusing tone in his voice. Rukia stared at the floor in the silence as tried to muster the courage to say something. She didn't know how much time had passed when she finally found some words.

"I… I was a co-ward" she stammered out. She could feel the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes, she could feel her legs that wanted to run and run far away and into the darkness and never come back.

As she stood there in the doorway she was lost in her own fear and awaited Ichigo's judgment, but after what seemed an eternity something unexpected happened. She felt two arms wrap round her and then after brief moment of movement she found herself on Ichigo's lap and on his bed with her back against his chest.

"Cowards don't try Rukia, you try hard. Cowards hide, you are here. Cowards don't explain will you open your lips?" Ichigo said very close to Rukia's ear. She gulped and shook in an emotion that wasn't guilt but anticipation. She gathered herself and tried to control her emotions.

"He was called Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien" she spoke in a voice only loud enough for Ichigo to hear "he was the first person that treated me as a normal person when I became both Shinigami and nobility. He made me happy and gave me a home"

"And he is dead" Ichigo stated to Rukia and Rukia alone. "But why do you feel guilty Rukia?

"Because it was Sode no Shirayuki's blade that ended his life" Rukia spoke, with the feeling of tears and pain attacking her heart with much vengeance. Rukia couldn't see Ichigo's face but she knew it be full of hate and disgust and she be thrown from his lap at any moment and then throw out his home.

The moment never came.

"Explain Rukia... my friend" his words were soft and loving, there was no hate, no disgust in his voice. It was becoming harder and harder for Rukia to hold back her tears with every passing moment.

"He was taken over by a Hallow, and I had only the strength to save myself Ichigo" she said with guilt in every word.

She was suddenly spun around to face Ichigo's face with both his hands on her shoulders.

"You idiot!" he shouted at her angrily "That what got you so worked up, got you feeling so bad and sad and is that what made you so value your own life so lowly Rukia? That you long ago could only muster the strength to defend yourself from a monster that uses to be a friend? Rukia I will say it once more in case you forgotten.. I would not be standing here today without you Rukia! I would not been able to defend innocent people without you Rukia! I would not even know how to be a Shinigami without your guidance and inspiration! I would be nothing but Hallow bait and me and my family would be dead" his voice trailing off into a more sombre tone at the end

Rukia looked at him stunned a few moments.

"And you do not need to hide your tears from me Rukia" he said with a caring tone as he met her gaze "because you should never need to lock me out your heart"

Rukia look at him and let her tears flow, her emotions no longer hidden under an icy mask from him, Ichigo and then she did something she had never done in her over century and a half existence.

She kissed him on the lips. It felt right.

Yachiru corner

* Yachiru can be seen with her Zanpakutō out making slashing motions*

Narrator: Do you ever feel that you small size goes against you?

* Yachiru looks towards the camera*

Narrator: Do you feel like because you three foot six and not say around five foot, that you been given a penalty to your maximum physical strength ?

* Yachiru nods*

Yachiru: You're right, it's so unfair!

Narrator: That you be pleased to know in the new edition of _Shinigami and Hallows™_ that silly things like weaknesses no longer exist!

Yachiru: Yay!!!!

*small pink haired Shinigami bounces around happily*

Narrator: You also be pleased to hear of the many other sensible changes to _Shinigami and Hallows™ _including the trimming of the vastly oversized list of Shinigami by the merging of Shinigami who have been clearly the same person the whole time!

*Yachiru looks at the Narrator suspiciously*

Yachiru: Like who?

Narrator: Like the merger of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Szayel Aporro! Nemu Kurotsuchi and Nanao Ise! Rangiku Matsumoto and Orihime Inoue! Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki!

*Yachiru suddenly looks at Narrator like he's crazy*

Yachiru: Icchi and Ken-chan not the same person stupid! They fought each other when Icchi was saving Roo!

Narrator: Erm…. it was an inner battle inside Ichigo's mind

*Yachiru looks shocked*

Yachiru: oh my god you killed Kenny you-

* Byakuya flash steps and places his hand over her mouth*

Byakuya: Not lady like Yachiru.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Silver Hawk

Ichigo blinked. One minute she been crying and the next she had kissed him just like that! It had not been a soft peck on the cheek; it hadn't been gentle at all. She had kissed him on the lips with such force that his head was now firmly on the pillow and the demented midget was well and truly on top of him.

"You... you kissed me, y- you gave me my first kiss!" he stammered out. She gave him a funny look in reply before changing to smiling like a cat that just got the cream.

"Well you were acting so supportive and caring towards me... so I thought I show you my gratitude" and with that she grinned at him then winked seductively. Ichigo gulped.

"Rukia get of me right now!" He screamed in absolute terror.

"But it fun up here, plus I can do this" And with that she wiggled her bum suggestively. Ichigo felt the heat in his checks rapidly rise.

"Aww... You're so cute when you blush Ichi-chan" she said in a cutesy tone. Ichigo rapidly pushed her off him to his side.

"You're worse than Yoruichi Rukia!" He shouted at her loudly. Rukia face turned to one of anger.

"Wait a minute… you dated Yoruichi!?" She exclaimed in a fury.

"No it wasn't like that at all" he rapidly replied in embarrassment "She use to tease me by turning from cat to human form in front of me… without any cloths"

Rukia giggled, her features softening from her previous angry look.

"So you ever thought of me without any cloths on?" she asked in a tone that was way too innocent considering her question.

"Of course not!" He shouted back at her rapidly. She much to his surprise then smiled.

The lamplight went off, and he heard the ruffling of blankets and then the touch of Rukia's head on his chest and her arm around his waist.

"Then this should be absolutely no problem for you... since you clearly don't think of me that way"

Ichigo sighed in defeat and was thinking of some kind of sarcastic remark to make in reply when he heard knocking at the door.

"Hey Ichi-nii, Rukia are you two finished shouting?" The calm voice that came from the other side of the door was Karin's.

"Erm… yes we are!" Ichigo shouted back.

"Will coming in mentally scar me for life by the way?" Karin asked. Ichigo paused a few moments.

"Coming in would be a bad idea Karin…. but not because of that!" Ichigo replied nervously.

"Right just remember to take 'preventive measures' for 'that' which is not 'that'" she said in a sarcastic tone that was clear even if her voice was slightly muffled by the door.

"By the way Rukia, we talk about the whole Shinigami thing in more detail after school tomorrow ok?" Karin said in a calm tone like she was talking about the latest football results. "Anyway goodnight you two don't keep up that much longer ok, you both being sleepy will get lot of people talking, trust me"

Ichigo quietly waited as he heard his sister go back to her bedroom. Strangely enough it was quiet nice having Rukia leaning on him like she was…

"She actually killed Hallow and met Captain Hitsugaya too" Rukia said in a rather serous tone after a while "So I think were going to have to be open with her, about everything now"

Ichigo laid there in the silence for a while thinking of the changes that having a sister who was not only aware of more supernatural elements of his life, but clearly taking a strong interest in them,. Then Rukia bit his ear.

"Ow!" he screamed in pain. Rukia sniggered. "What was that for?"

"I wanted a taste of things to come" she badly punned. Ichigo sighed.

"Rukia, I think you are forgetting a very importing thing" Ichigo calmly explain "that thing is I'm only fifteen".

Ichigo let the information sink into her brain.

"Can't be too Chappy?" she ask with a slightly depressed tone to her voice.

"Defiantly can't be too Chappy Rukia" Ichigo explained to the overexcited Shinigami.

"Well that delays my plans slightly… very slightly" she said playfully. Then her tone changed to a more serous one "and I do have plan for us... my love" she said the words my love with such an uncharacteristic gentle tone.

"Just sleep well for now...my love" he said as he wrapped his arm around her.

The following morning went slightly awkwardly. Yuzu was in a surprisingly upbeat mood. While Karin was fairly quiet and Ichigo's dad was… himself.

"My son has finally turned into a man!" he shouted happily before dropping in front of his mother's portrait "sweet Masaki, our dear Ichigo has finally started dating... and dating a lovely beautiful girl who mysterious appeared in his life last summer!"

Rukia just ate her breakfast and tried very hard to avoid eye contact with his insane father.

That was the morning at home, what happened at school took Ichigo completely by surprise.

"Class!" his sensei said when everyone was sitting down "It time for you to meet our new international student, Black Timothy, who come all the way from England"

It was the same guy from the Kuchiki estate who had tried to become a retainer. He was slightly shorter than Ichigo, but far thinner and virtually had no muscle mass to speak of. While he wasn't wearing the stupid Matrix styled trenchcoat, he was still wearing the shades and had his blond hair back in a pony tail, held in place with a silver ring with some weird writing on it.

While he was wearing the normal school uniform, his left arm seem to be lightly bandaged up except on his fingers, another odd addiction was a small old fashioned dark brown bag on his right side. His eyes went to Ichigo as he walked in, through he was clearly trying to dress it up as nerves, he was clearly still pretty scared of Ichigo.

"Hello fellow classmates!" he said in the excessively respectful and polite tone he used at Kuchiki's place. "I will be joining your class for the foreseeable future, please make no special allowances for me and treat me as you would any other class mate!"

He then went to sit next to Rukia, on the other side to Ichigo and smiled politely at everyone. He seemed to spend the rest of the day trying to get to know everyone better especially Chizuru Honsho. He was fairly polite and talkative to Rukia as well, but seemed to mysterious disappear into the crowd when she wanted to talk to him alone. He completely avoided Ichigo and it wasn't hard to see the fear in his eyes whenever Ichigo caught his attention.

So Ichigo and Rukia hatched a cunning plan and put it into action. They sent Chizuru towards Orihime with the lure that Orihime would really enjoy a romantic poem that Rukia had found in a book and then they carefully sneaked up on Black. Unfortunately that where things went wrong, because he seemed to quickly realise that they were sneaking up on him and started running like a girl.

Ichigo and Rukia then gave him chase and it quickly became clear that he wasn't that fit or fast as they slowly started gaining on him. Then he did something they hadn't expected.

"Second tier transmutation, Bears endurance!" Black shouted in a rather panicky tone while making fanatical motions with his fingers. Through there were no flash or bang, the effect was clear, he was suddenly a hell of a lot fitter.

"Gah he's getting away!" Rukia shouted in annoyance. Ichigo decided to get serous.

"Rukia catch me! He shouted as he shifted into his Shinigami form and speeded up dramatically as a result.

Then the Hallow showed up, Black was too busy looking back at Ichigo in terror to have notice the spider like monster behind him. Ichigo reacted without thought and struck down the Hallow after a quick flash step.

"Wh…. what!" stammered Black in surprising, turning to see the Hallow die and then falling back onto his bum.

"Now will you frankly stop running and actually talk with us for whole five minutes if you can." Ichigo said to the mage flatly. Black with more speed than expected, turn from Ichigo and started grovelling at Rukia's feet.

"Oh glorious and beautiful Kuchiki-dono, I thank you for the mercy you show on this pathetic conjuror, by instead of setting your dark and most powerful minion on me, that instead you use him to save my life"

Ichigo blinked.

"He's my friend and lover actually" Rukia explained, Ichigo felt himself blush inviolately at the lover comment "He also what's called a Vizard, a Shinigami who instead of stumbling to a Hallow that infected him, he instead defeated it".

Black looked between Ichigo and Rukia with a look that was a mixture of disbelief and incredible curiosity.

"Infected by a Hallow, then defeating it and taking it power for his own?" Black said while staring at Ichigo. "That's quiet a feat you know friend of Kuchiki-dono."

He looked pretty impressed.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo by the way Black-san" Ichigo said to the wizard "Maybe you can explain a little bit more about what you up to in Japan, aren't you pretty far from home here?"

"Yes I am aren't I?" Black said as he dusted himself off and stood up "The reason I'm here is because my sensei is much a much better diviner than me, and she thinks this place is interesting."

"Interesting in what way?" Ichigo asked curiously.

"It's rather high in spiritual energy, far more than even places like Stonehenge and the Pyramids that were designed to attract spiritual energy." He calmly explained in a far less grovelling tone.

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"Neither I nor sensei have any idea, which is why she sent me here, to try and find the source" he answered.

"Hum" Rukia said with a thoughtful look on her face "Still want that retainer job Black-san?"

"Of course oh glorious and beautiful Kuchiki-dono!" he said after dropping to his knees and bowing repeatedly.

"Right here my first order, your going to come with Ichigo and me and help with some explaining as well as explaining a bit more about your own abilities" Rukia said in an authoritarian tone.

"Yes Kuchiki-dono!" Black said while jumping up and doing a salute.

_God help us_ thought Ichigo as they walked home.

Rukia in the real world

_Dear members of the Shinigami Woman's Association_

_I write to you as requested by third seat Kotetsu Kiyone of Thirteenth Division with some of my investigations into the real world of the living._

_As of late I been investigating common forms of entertainment and recently spent some time playing 'Lands of Battle' on Ichigo's computer. This 'game' is set in a fantasy world in which the 'player' take the role of heroic person with skill in one of many fields or 'classes' as they are called._

_So I decided to play this 'Lands of Battle' with a female warrior. Since the game had a medieval European look I spent much of my first hour or so looking for some chainmail or platemail since she was a warrior. However as I did so began to notice the other female character all seem to wearing chainmail beachwear. Suspecting something was amiss I then shouted my dear Ichigo into the room._

_After a rather tense talk with him, he then admitted that -all- female armour in 'Lands of Battle' looks like medieval beachwear. Since this little talk Ichigo has been banned from playing 'Lands of Battle' as his character 'Vicky the she Vixen' and I advise you to follow my example if any male members of your squads show an interest in 'Lands of Battle'._

_Kuchiki Rukia - Unseated Shinigami of the Thirteenth Division_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Who am I?

Yachiru looked as the dawn broke on the Seireitei from her view on top of the eleventh divisions HQ.

"Who am I world?" She asked. "Who loved me before Ken-chan found me, and why was I alone when he found me?"

There was no reply, as always and Yachiru got angry.

"Tel me!" she screamed with all her might as she waved her Zanpakutō in the air "Tell me who I was before Yachiru, tell me who gave me my first name!"

Always silence. Every time she did there was silence and she did it every single year on the same day, her 'found day'.

No answers seem to be coming by shouting at the sky. Maybe it was time to try a different method….

"Zanpakutō…. Will you talk to me?" she said in a gentle tone to the sword. She heard the birds sing and the wind blow several wind chimes, but she heard no voice.

"I guess I just add this to my yearly tradition then…" She said in downbeat tone.

It was sometime latter in the day, Kenpachi and the rest of her division had now woke up. Yachiru was still pretty miserable.

"Frowns aren't beautiful you know Yachiru" Yumichika said while bending down to her head's height. "Why don't you tell me what got such an ugly frown on your face hum?"

"My Zanpakutō won't talk to me" Yachiru replied glumly.

"Hum… weren't you saying the other day that you didn't care about talking to your Zanpakutō, since Kenpachi couldn't talk to his either?" Yumichika pointy out awkwardly.

"But I need to talk to my Zanpakutō now!" she exclaimed. "Because maybe my Zanpakutō knows who I am!"

Yumichika sighed.

"Zanpakutō's don't just talk to you to just answer questions Yachiru…"

"Well they should!" She yelled loudly before jumping out the window in a fury.

Bounce bounce bounce. She kept jumping. She kept running.

She was so angry! She didn't even notice that she had landed in front of Captain Unohana Retsu of the forth division, until she heard her crying.

"Boss Doctor Lady?" she asked as she turned to look at her. "Why are you crying?"

It was clear that Yachiru sudden appearance had taken the captain by surprise, mostly because she was now trying to hide her tears.

"It's nothing Kusajishi-chan…" she said in tone rapidly moving towards her normal serene tones.

"Nothing doesn't make you cry" Yachiru said firmly. Unohana stared at her a few moments.

"Kusajishi-chan … do you understand loss?" her tone was slightly more mellow. "To have something precious, something that means so much to you, to be taken from you with no chance that it ever be returned, leaving a hole that hurts when you think about it too hard?"

Yachiru understood.

"Person shaped hole?" she asked softly. Unohana nodded. "I understand then Boss Doctor Lady". With that Yachiru bounced off. It wouldn't be right to interfere on Unohana version of 'found day'.

She been bouncing quiet a long time now, but she was nearing her destination. Rukongai, the seventy ninth district of the North Alley in Kusajika to be exact, where Kenpachi had found her as a baby.

It was a pretty violent and horrible place; everyone just seemed to be interested in stealing and killing each other. No mercy, no reason other than taking each other meagre things.

Then she caught Yachiru eye… Mewing, helpless, just about to be stood on!

Fast as she could she flash stepped and placed her hand between the baby and the thug's foot.

"Babies shouldn't be stepped on!" she yelled loudly at the man. As Yachiru took in the rest of the surroundings she realised there were two sets of thugs that had been fighting, some in a dark brown kind of dress, the others in a more tan type.

They all stopped fighting and looked at Yachiru and it wasn't a nice look.

"Well, well a pint sized Shinigami, I don't know about you guys, but I've always wanted to make one scream!" Yelled what looked like the leader of the browns.

"Oh you're into that kind of thing?" laughed the tans leader "But I agree that we should show this Shinigami a warm welcome"

Yachiru frowned, but was unfazed.

"I am Vice-Captain Kusajishi Yachiru of the eleventh division, move one step closer towards this baby... and you will learn the true meaning of pain." She as she narrowed her eye's and drawn her Zanpakutō.

They all stepped forward, but then suddenly it seem time had froze. A lady in a white kimono that was all splattered with blood walked through the frozen crowd. Her pink hair, while very long was also very neat indeed and tired up a complex looking ponytail. She also walked with a regal bearing.

"True justice should be poetic" She said in a voice that sounded regal as her walk.

Time suddenly unfroze and lady vanished.

Yachiru took the mysterious lady's words to heart. Quickly flash stepping; she struck at each and every single one of then thugs, but only disabling them, not killing them.

"Now you're as helpless as babies…." She said with a dark smirk "And the boot is on the other foot now isn't it?"

With that she turned her attention to more important things. Ignoring there pathetic and hypocritical cries for mercy and help.

She picked up the little baby girl in her arms after putting her Zanpakutō back away; she had short black hair and big brown eyes.

"Imōto-chan, I'm going to take you somewhere better than this..." She said softly to her newly found little sister. _Somewhere much better_ she thought to herself. Holding her close she bounced away, she knew her destination clearly.

It was sometime latter that she finally reached her destination, the HQ of forth division.

"Boss Doctor Lady!" she shouted loudly as she jumped into said captain office. She was there with her Vice-Captain, at a desk. "I want you to meet Aiko-chan." Both of the women in the officer stared at Aiko-chan, in what looked like a mix of surprise and amazement.

"I know it's asking a lot, but she got nobody, you could do with someone and I don't think I can give her what she really needs…" She said as placed Aiko-chan into Captain Unohana Retsu arms.

"Kusajishi-chan ...." Started Unohana, but Yachiru didn't let her remotely come up with any excuses.

"She doesn't belong alone in Kusajishi" Yachiru said firmly "She belong with someone who will love and protect her. One more thing I will be checking up on her too, so you best be a good parent"

With that she left Aiko-chan with Unohana and bounced away. She had one more thing to do that day, one last important thing.

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru yelled loudly and repeatedly as she bounced into eleventh divisions HQ and it didn't take long for her squad's captain to come out and see what all the racket was.

"Yachiru, you been out all day…" He said in his normal big manly voice.

"I know Ken-chan" She spoke while locking her eyes with Kenpachi's. "but I had important things to do. I needed to figure out who I really was. I was thinking foolishly my past before you was more important than my past and present with you in who I really was".

"I know it sounds strange, I know your blood doesn't run through my veins, but you done so much for me, the important things, the things that a father should do for a daughter." She said in a voice that became surprisingly shrill. "So can I call you father, Ken-chan?"

He looked at her with a thoughtful unreadable face, clearly thinking her words over in what seemed an eternity.

"You think I ever thought of you as anything but my daughter?" he asked her. She beamed at him in reply. "Come lets get back to what we do best…. daughter of mine."

Yachiru was picked up and put on his shoulder. Where she belonged. With her real father, not of blood but of something much more important than that.

Her farther of heart.

Tōshirō complains

*A certain white haired pretty boy runs craftily across the roof tops*

*stealthily creeps down a drainpipe*

*quietly walks down a street… only to find a pack of savage rabid fangirls await him*

Fangirls: There he is, hug him!

*quickly Tōshirō runs up the wall and jumps over the fangirls, then breaks into a run, spins around a corner and goes through a door, slamming it shut and locking it with the six locks provided.*

Draco: I see you finally arrived Mr Hitsugaya

* Tōshirō slowly catches his breath*

Tōshirō: Had some problems with fangirls… since everyone knows I'm the number one character in Bleach!

*pull a cool looking pose to the camera*

Draco: Yes…but anyway you said you had some complaints?

Tōshirō: I do have some complaints, firstly you spelt Hollow, Hallow.

Draco: *cough's* only one letter!

Tōshirō: Secondly and more importantly... where the hell am I! I can understand Ichigo and Rukia getting more lines... but Yuzu and Yachiru are getting way more than me!

Draco: Oh don't worry you get some major scenes and romance with a fair maiden latter, just got to wait a few chapter.

Tōshirō: Romance with a fair maiden... its Karin isn't it?

Draco: Nope.

Tōshirō: Momo?

Draco: Not her either.

Tōshirō: I'm all out of ideas now *sighs*

Draco: Aren't you supposed to say Rangiku at this point?

*Tōshirō blinks*

Tōshirō: There in no way that she's a maiden; trust me I'm her captain.

*Draco makes a note*

Draco: Anyway, If that's everything…

* At this point a mysterious young girl with very long blond hair, big blues eyes and carrying a miniature silver windmill with weird writing pops up*

MYG: I'm a maiden and my name is Mary *smiles sweetly at a rapidly very scared looking Tōshirō*

Tōshirō: No way, no way no way!!!!!!!

*Rapidly runs away screaming*

Draco: So can I safely put chaotic evil as your alignment then?

Mary: Course not I'm chaotic neutral, I do whatever I want! *giggles*

Draco: …. Does this include setting people on fire for the fun of it?

Mary: Course not; they set themselves on fire for the fun of it! *manic giggling*

Draco:…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Intentions

Anne stared at William.

_Evokers had such bad taste in cloths; he was wearing a bright orange robe for crying out loud. Why couldn't he just wear something sensible and black like Anne?_

_"Your Hollow failed to kill the mageling" he said through his ginger beard. Anne carefully filled at her long black nails._

_"And your point is?" she said flatly, not bothering to take her eyes of her nails._

_"One simple crushing hand would have killed him with ease!" He yelled about an inch from her face._

_"And totally given the game away" She said bluntly to the enraged Evoker. "Remember that mistress doesn't want our presence to be known to the Soul Society, we must tread with care and use weapons that don't lead back to us."_

Rukia looked over at the group who was in her and the twin's room. Ichigo, Black, Karin and Yuzu. If someone had told her a year ago that she been in the position she was in now, she would have thought they were insane. But a year is a long time when it's a year in which you world is shaken.

"Ok, Let start from the beginning…" Ichigo spoke while looking ratherhandsome. How she love to undo those buttons and run her…. Happy jumpy Chappy doing dances!

She had caught herself just in time; she had to stop thinking such perverted thoughts about him all the time! The fact of the matter was that Ichigo was underage and she was going to have to wait, and the more perverted thoughts she let into her head, the more difficult it would be for her to control herself.

"Oneesan!" Yuzu yelled while looking at Rukia and distracting her from her thoughts "Ichi-nii saved you from being executed!"

Rukia blushed slightly.

"He always repays he debts, however impossible seeming they may be." She said to a clearly amazed Yuzu.

"Ichi-nii…" She said while starting at Ichigo, who clearly didn't know how to respond "You're a real hero and you been hiding it from us"

"I guess I am, but I think any decent person would do the same" he replied calmly.

"And Ichi-nii!" she shouted while hugging him both suddenly and tightly "You don't need to hide anything from us, your sisters! We will always be here for you! Always!" She yelled repeatedly in his face.

"Ok you made your point Yuzu, can you stop shouting in my face now." He said calmly as before. Rukia looked at the Karin and Black reaction to all this. In strong contrast to Yuzu, Karin was looking rather reflective and thoughtful while Black on the other hand was staring at Ichigo with amazement mixed with something that looked suspiciously like awe. Clearly they were both realising just what kind of things Ichigo was capable of doing.

"I still don't understand where this English guy come into it Ichi-nii" Said Karin while motioning to Black "Because I've met Chad, and Ishida isn't an english name is it?"

"That because Black-san is new" Rukia said in a friendly tone. Black did a friendly, if nervous, wave to the twins at this point "He's teamed up with us because he's encounter a problem that we be better working together to solve, rather than doing our own thing."

"So neesan, what's he do exactly, I'm guessing he's not a fighter in the traditional sense?" Karin asked, looking at Black's rather feeble frame.

"Yes he all wimpy and looks really scared all the time too" Yuzu said while nodding. Black just stared at the floor and twiddled his thumbs. Rukia decided to use the same tactic that she sometimes used on Ichigo when he was being an idiot.

"Retainer Black Timothy!" she yelled loudly "Show the girls what your actually skilled at dam it, and go heavy on the explaining!"

The reaction was rather funny to watch. Black jumped up rapidly with a look of pure terror on his face, nearly falling over as he did.

"Yes Kuchiki-dono!" he yelped. "As the great and glorious Kuchiki-dono pointed out, my name is Black Timothy. I'm a wizard of the sixth tier and a specialist conjurer, through of course that means nothing to you of course, because you're all muggles!" He laughed rather nervously at this point.

"So I best explain how my brand of magic operates exactly, since your heads are probably full of lots of silly Harry Potter and Final Fantasy nonsense!"

"First tier conjuration, Summon Blackboard! "He said in a tone, which was turning from nervous to more confident. As he spoke the words, he also moved his fingers in strange motions and out of thin air a floating blackboard appeared, with some chalk floating beside it. Yuzu was enthralled, her siblings, less so.

"Most magic can be separated into the ten tiers of power, starting with the most basic of magic ,cantrips, and going all the way up to the ninth tier" He explained as the chalk then drawn a segmented rectangle with nine written at the top and cantrip at the bottom.

"Spell of the cantrip level are normally things like light effects and frost rays..." the chalk drawn a little stick figure with a orb in one hand and shooting a little ray out the other "Not exactly scary, but you have to start somewhere."

"Third and forth tier is where magic starts getting notable more lethal and impressive, fireballs and making your skin as hard as stone are the kind of spells you see here" a another stick man was drawn , coloured in with a big 'boom' in a bubble next to him.

"Now by the time you reach around the sixth tier, you be able to take over minds, summon powerful weapons out of thin air and turn your self briefly into a killing machine." The new stick figure was twice as big as the others with a big glowing sword in one hand it also had another stick figure at its side.

"Finally a mage of the eighth or ninth tier is called an archmage, they can cast spell of terrible potency, wipe a loved one very existence from your mind, rain meteorites on your head and turn themselves into your worse nightmare"

The chalk drawn a huge demonic bat shaped monster and lots of fallen sticks figures around it, with big rocks with flame effects coming down.

"Thats scary stuff…" Yuzu said from behind a blanket she had grabbed from her bed during Blacks explanation.

"However there are drawbacks and very real limits to arcane power" he continued to explain. "Firstly all tiered magic uses mana, and all mages only have so much based on there natural affinity and experience. Typically a mage can get a few castings of there highest tier spells off a week, through experienced mages have no issues using lower tier magic with considerable more frequency, add into the mix that vast majority of mages are not terribly strong or tough, and you begin to realise that mages on the whole aren't eager to get into protracted combats if they can avoid it."

"So they instead need people like say, Shinigami, if they expect to be involved in protracted combats, right Black-san?" Said Karin with a rather probing tone. Blacks reply was rather nervous

"Erm yes, excellent observation!"

"Black-san, don't worry, I watch your back" Ichigo said in a reassuring tone while getting up and patting his shoulder "But I ask you to be open about anything that going of ok?"

"Its ok, no one is after me... except possibly that fifth tier necromancer I called body stealer back in Italy" Black said while smiling. "But I be able to handle him easy if somehow managed to find me anyway, I mean its not like I got a bunch of archmages out trying to kill me or anything, now that be scary!"

_The Seer considered its servants that it had managed to gather to its cause. First there was Anne, the archmage Necromancer. Then William, the Archmage Evoker. Rye the Archmage Eldritch Samurai. Susan, the Archmage Spellspear. Bret, the Archmage Conjurer and finally Mary the Archmage Bewilder._

"_Sos can I have a go ats killings the mageling next prettys please?" Mary asked in a cutesy tone._

"Good to know we got no serous worries for the time being then." Ichigo said with a sigh of relief.

"Erm… Kurosaki-san, we do actually have a really big worry…." Black said in a very nervous and quiet voice. Ichigo face rapidly took on a worried aspect.

"What do you mean, we actually have a really big worry Black-san?" he said in such a tone that Black was looking rather more scared than normal.

"The area's high spiritual energy source…" he said in a scared tone "Is not old, it's new and I guess from what I can figure out so far that it's probably going to start bleeding into people"

Rukia mind rapidly put the puzzle together. She had seen the effects of spiritual power bleeding before and she understood things well enough to understand the logical consequence of what Black was going on about.

"More and more people will become spiritually aware, causing Hollows to swarm here and attempt to consume there souls" She stated "Resulting in death and panic on a huge scale"

Black nodded gravely in reply.

"So why the hell we just sitting around here then?!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Kurosaki-san, to get even a rough idea of the source of this spiritual energy I will require full accesses to my highest tier divinations, which I currently don't have access to due to the large amount of mana I used in teleporting here." Black said in his nervous tone.

"So you're all going to have to wait a bit before running of to save the world" said Karin calmly "Which is convenient, because it means neesan and me can go to the Soul Society and explain things to them"

Ichigo blinked.

"Look you don't need to go to the Soul Society Karin, Rukia can handle it all by herself" Ichigo explained, clearly he not picked up on the look in Karin's eyes.

"But how can I become a Shinigami without getting the Soul Society's permission Ichi-nii?" Perhaps it was the casual way she said it; perhaps it was because Ichigo was still highly emotional over Rukia's confession of love the night before and his own emotions toward her. But what happened next was something she never seen Ichigo do since she knew him.

"Karin, you're not becoming a Shinigami ever, end of story!" Ichigo yelled loudly in Karin's face. Even through the mask of indifference she put up to the world, it was clear that she been hurt. The effect on Yuzu was far more visible.

"Ichi-nii!" she wailed as the tears started to flow "Karin! Don't fight!" she was really wailing now, Ichigo least had the decency to look ashamed, but Rukia had no intention of letting him get of so lightly as mealy feeling bad.

"Boy" she said in her most superior tone, knowing full well that being referred to as a child would hurt Ichigo's ego "You take care of Yuzu, while Karin and I see to some important matters in the Soul Society".

With that the two of them left and Rukia really hoped Ichigo was man enough to face the future on there return.

Shinigami's Secrets

_Soifon carefully sneaked past the guards, using methods she had learned from her beautiful and highly skilled mentor Yoruichi, combined with her own agility. Jumping through the second story window, she landed and opened the secret door behind the bookshelf to find her fellow players who would be amazed by her creativity soon enough._

_Before her they stood, four fellow_ _Shinigami, skilled in fighting Hollow._

Yachiru: Bumblebee you finally made it! *bounces up and down happily*

Nanao: Now we can play….

*dum dum dum!*

Nanao:.... the game!

Nanao: So Nemu and Hanatarō you got your characters ready yet?

Nemu: Affirmative games master

Nervous Hanatarō: Erm, well I got a few characters rolled up, you know just in case party balance is a bit out…

_Soifon considered her fellow players, while they may of made character they considergood, nothing they could think up would compare to the utterly divine creation she had spent the last week working on._

Nanao: So what characters have you all made for this game of…

*dum dum dum!*

Nanao: Shinigami and Hollows™!

Nemu: I carefully constructed a Quincy archer, using the latest rules and building methods, resulting in his ability to shoot four arrows per round with a plus twelve to hit at level six.

Nanao: ..and what's his personality like?

*ominous silence*

Nanao: Will let it come across in game then, Yachiru?

Yachiru: Well my character is half Vizard, half Vasto Lorde class Arrancar, with a Zanpakutō that always in it released state!

Nanao: Remember that little talk we had the last time we played about manageable level adjustments on our characters…

Yachiru: It's only a single figure; I just start a bit lower than everyone else!

*Nanao starts rapidly checking through various rules books*

Nemu: I calculate it to be a grand total of nine games master.

*awkward silence*

Hanatarō: It like that time she played a physical strength modsoul inside a t-rex Gigai isn't it?

Nanao: Will sort out a more... modest version in a bit. What character have you made then Soifon?

_Finally a chance to blow then away with her perfect creation!_

Soifon: She had beautiful violet hair, silver eyes and can turn into a white cat at will; in addition she's highly skilled in infiltration!

Nanao: It's another Yoruichi clone isn't it?

Soifon: Its not, she vastly different from Yoruichi-sama, she has different coloured hair and eyes and turns into a white cat not a black one!

*Nanao starts hitting her head against the table*

Nanao: Why me? Why did my game group have to have the insane players in existence for?

Hanatarō: Guess I be playing the healer again in real life and in the game…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: We Make Our Choices

Tōshirō waited for the Commander-General to start the Captains meeting, noting the new addition to forth Captain Unohana hand luggage, one small baby. He was hardly the only one who noticed this very surprising addition. Kenpachi seemed to find the matter something to be cheerful about and Soifon seemed to be fighting a desire to look at the baby and go all googly eyed.

She was defiantly losing the battle.

"Attention captains of the Gotei Thirteen Protection Squads" Spoke Commander-General Yamamoto-Genryūsai, quickly gaining everyone's attention "We have three separate matters to attend too today."

His gaze rested on the baby.

"First, who is that and why is she here?" Retsu beamed (when did she ever beam?) at the Commander-General.

"This is my adapted daughter Unohana Aiko Commander-General Yamamoto-Genryūsai "She said in her normal serene tones, before going into cutesy mode. "And she's sooooo cute! I mean look at those eyes, that dazzling smile, tell me you don't think she's the cutest baby in the whole wide world!"

The Commander-General blinked

"Couldn't you have left her with your Vice-Captain for the duration of this meeting?" He asked in an authoritarian tone. There was silence for a few moments before Retsu gave a very simple reply in a serene tone.

"No"

The Commander-General paused in silence staring at her; Tōshirō couldn't ever remember anyone ever saying no to the Commander-General when he used that tone.

"She gets upset if I'm away for too long you see and she's too young to understand anything anyway" Retsu added in attempt to break the silence.

"She may stay then… for now "he spoke firmly. Aiko then giggled, causing Retsu to giggle and make silly baby noise to her in reply. The Commander-General decided to tactfully ignore all this and Tōshirō couldn't blame him.

"The second matter to attend too is the creation and funding of the 'battle training preparation centres' that Captain Zaraki has thought up." He stated. Tōshirō looked towards Kenpachi.

"I take over now Shigekuni" Kenpachi said as he stepped forward slightly "My plan is thus; we set up small outposts in the roughest nastiest parts of the Rukongai. In these outposts we take the young uncorrupted children of these districts who have no one to look after them. From there we teach and train them, giving the Soul Society a steady stream of future Shinigami!"

"And incidentally protecting some of the most vulnerable souls in the Soul Society from the worse with four solid walls and well trained warriors" Tōshirō pointed out. Kenpachi made a dismissive wave.

"Just a happy coincidence" he said with a tone just as dismissive. Retsu smiled at him.

"I will put my full support behind this proposal on one condition Zaraki-kun" She spoke in gentle tones "that you let some of my division bring a more human touch to these 'outposts'."

"Seems reasonable to me Retsu" he said while returning the smile.

_On my god. _Thought Tōshirō. _Were they actually flirting or something?_

"These children, what will become of them once the reach adulthood if they lack the ability to become Shinigami?" Shunsui asked with a serous tone.

"Then they will be given a sword and a chance to write there own destiny" Kenpachi simply stated.

"A simple but effective gesture that will most likely make them far more loyal to the Soul Society and the philosophy of the eleventh division that most citizens in those districts" Shunsui responded.

Kenpachi grinned.

"Great isn't it?" he said joyfully.

"Understand that some of us may wish to give them options that don't include swords Kenpachi, but I will support you on this" Shunsui said seriously.

"As well I" Jūshirō spoke in support of his friend. Tōshirō then did the decent thing.

"I will also fully support this." He said firmly.

"This could also be a useful way to collect intelligence, so I will also support this measure." Soifon added calmly.

"I see no reason not to support this matter, I will add my support." Byakuya added.

"Me neither, I will support it fully." Sajin said shortly after the sixth division captain. Leaving only one captain left, Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

"I don't suppose anyone would mind if I used these warriors in training as test subjects as well?" he asked, leading to the harshest glare that Tōshirō had ever seen Kenpachi give. The looks of the others were far from friendly either.

"I take that as yes then." he said with a note of disappointment as he realised he wouldn't be able to perform what would be undoubtedly sick experiments on children.

"It is decided then." The Commander-General stated "Captain Zaraki measure will be fully supported by the Soul Society at large and logistics shall be set into motion shortly after this meeting has come to an end."

The Commander-General then raised his voice loudly

"Kuchiki-dono, Kurosaki-san you may now enter!" Tōshirō briefly wondered why the Commander-General was calling Ichigo name with a female honorific when he saw who walked through the door with Rukia.

Kurosaki _Karin_. She was wearing her red cap as per normal, along with some black jeans and a white jumper. She didn't seem to have changed much at all, least physically. Her Reiatsu was notably stronger now however he noticed. As she entered the room, she looked around at all the captains, her gaze resting ever so slightly longer on Tōshirō, Mayuri and Sajin, before finally resting on the Commander-General.

"The young human you see before you is Kurosaki Karin, the younger sister of Kurosaki Ichigo." He spoke "She has come to the Soul Society under the guardianship of Kuchiki Rukia of the thirteenth division to make a request."

"What is your request Kurosaki-san?" Jūshirō asked her in a gentle ton while giving her one of his warm smiles "Do you wish to help your brother in something, or ask questions regarding him?"

"Nether really to be honest Captain, through I suppose you could say I probably end doing a bit of the first if you say yes" She said while adjusting her hat.

"Then what is your request then Kurosaki-san?" he enquired.

"I want to become a Shinigami Captain." She said while looking Jūshirō right in the eyes. "And I want to do it properly, not the crazy way my brother did it. I want to learn Kidō, Hakuda, Hohō and Zanjutsu and become a fully rounded Shinigami who does her duty and brings honour, peace and security to the Soul Society and the world of the living both."

There was a sudden silence in the room. Jūshirō blinked. Then after about ten second of silence Kenpachi's laughter filled the room.

"The kid wants to become a Shinigami!" he said loudly "She, a little human girl want to run around with a Zanpakutō and fight Hallows, like she be any good at it!"

Tōshirō watched in fascination at Karin's reaction to this. She calmly walked over to Kenpachi and spoke in a tone just as calm as her steps.

"Some people consider it rather rude to mock others ambitions Captain Spiky Hair"

Soifon and Sajin stared at the two of them open mouthed. The other Captains looked rather shocked. Then Kenpachi brought down a closed fist down, only pulling the blow a faction of inch from Karin's face. She didn't even blink, let alone flinch. Unlike Rukia who's face was one of horror.

"Somehow I doubted you actually punch a girl in the face, seems I was right wasn't I?" she said with a slight smug look on her face causing Kenpachi to break into laughter again.

"Your one crazy kid Karin, but being crazy that hardly what I call a weakness!" he said in a merry tone "You got my vote!"

"Kurosaki-san" Jūshirō spoke in a gentle tone while motioning her over, she complied with no fuss. "I'm going to ask you a serous question"

He leaned down to her bringing his eyes level with hers.

"Why do you, a girl who not even in her teens, want to take up a Zanpakutō and fight Hallows? You have a strong brother, who I know would never let anything bad happen to you, and a member of my squad, Kuchiki Rukia, who live in the same house as you and I'm just as certain would rather die than let any harm come to you."

"Because a Hallow nearly killed me and several of my friends" She said while staring at Jūshirō "the only reason it failed was because Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō was just quick and strong enough to save us. Next time I might not be lucky enough to have such a strong protector about Captain."

"You want the power to defend yourself, to defeat whatever foes come at you with your own two hands" Sajin stated abruptly. Karin quickly spun around.

"Right on there Captain!" She said with a smile. Then spun back round just as quick back to Jūshirō.

"So, have I made my point Captain?" She asked as she returned her gaze back to his.

"You been planning this a while haven't you Kurosaki-san?" he said with a heavy sigh "You have my support now Kurosaki-san".

She then walked up too Shunsui and looked up to him.

"You know what I'm going to ask" she said bluntly. Shunsui looked down at her.

"You know becoming a Shinigami a one way path, no retirement, no giving it up. Your one till your very spirit is no more. You have to follow the orders and ruling of the Soul Society, even if it goes against your personal feelings."

"So be it." She replied flatly. "I've already got enough power to be really tasty to Hallows, but not near enough to fight anything past a minor one. Say what you want Captain, but I've already gone down the one way path of the warrior. I've also got enough humanity to realise that I be much better off learning the ways of people who been doing it for millenniums, then trying to make it on my own."

"Then you have my blessings young warrior" he said with a heaviness in his voice.

She moved to Retsu.

"Do you know that with Kidō that you can heal others Kurosaki-san?" she asked in normal serene tones. Aiko was now sleeping.

"And save lives that way?" she replied "I do know of it and have every intention of getting good at it too"

"Then you have my support." Retsu said with a gentle smile. Soifon, Mayuri, Byakuya and Sajin simply nodded as Karin made eye contact with them in turn.

She finally came to Tōshirō and locked her gaze with his. Her gaze was familiar yet not familiar. She had a similar air to her brother Ichigo, but while Ichigo screamed 'my name is Ichigo you best watch me world!' hers was more 'Tōshirō, I'm Karin don't even think about not paying attention to me'. He was lost for words for a few moments. But what did eventually come came out of his mouth surprised him.

"I train you myself Karin" he blurted out in front of the assembled captains.

"_Well that was surprisingly rash for you" _said the familiar voice of Hyōrinmaru in his head. Clearly the rest of the captains agreed because everyone at that moment stared at him in amazement. Karin's reaction was to give him a real and very warm smile. Course now he had to save his dignity and try to bring things back into the realm of normality.

"Assuming of course the Commander-General agrees with me of course" He said in a rather shaky voice before erupting out nervously. "Since its clear she has great passion!"

The Commander-General looked thoughtful a few moments.

"Kurosaki Karin" he said loudly and with considerable authority "From this point on you shall be a Trainee Shinigami attached to the Tenth Division and therefore under the authority of Captain Hitsugaya, upon your death and entry to the Soul Society you shall become a full time member of the Tenth Division."

His gaze turned onto Tōshirō.

"As of this moment Tōshirō you also have full permission to enter the world of the living as you see fit, take into account that Trainee Shinigami Kurosaki is still being educated in more mortal matter and fit your training around it."

"I shall Commander-General." Tōshirō replied.

"You will of course be assisted by Vice-Capitan Kuchiki in this matter, whose considerable understanding of living world responsibilities and customs will be most useful" He said with a playful smile while staring at a very surprised Rukia. Byakuya expression was one of annoyance.

"I was not consulted on this matter." He said sharply.

"I know your feelings on the matter Capitan Kuchiki." Jūshirō said just assharply "But she is a member of my division and as such it is my decision if she is to be promoted or not."

"She is not..." Byakuya started, but Jūshirō interrupted.

"….Anything but talented fighter who can organise and inspire her companions?"

"But…"

"She defeated an Espada" Jūshirō interrupted once again. "I know you desire to keep her safe Capitan Kuchiki, but you're suffocating her advancement and confidence with that desire and the Soul Society truly needs an able officer in the world of the living to keep an eye on things, which she is ideally suited to do."

Byakuya finally sighed in defeat before turning back to look at Rukia, who was clearly still taking it in.

"I trust you will act with honour in your new responsibility?" he asked her in a rather demanding tone.

"I will nii-sama." she replied with a respectable nod to her brother.

And that was the end of one of the most eventful meetings that Tōshirō ever been too.

Magical Boy Ichigo!

Yuzu voice over: Welcome to the wonderful world of 'Magical Boy Ichigo!'

Ichigo: What the hell…

Yuzu: Young naive Ichigo is saved from the heartless monster called a Hallow by his Mysterious Protector, Rukia!

Rukia: He is so sweet and innocent isn't he... *giggles*

Ichigo: Ahh stop it already!

Yuzu: But Mysterious Protector Rukia is wounded!

*shocks and gasps*

Yuzu: And gives her powers to Magical Boy Ichigo! Giving him a really really cool outfit in the process!

Ichigo: …

Karin: You know you life story is a bit like Sailor Moon, you got to admit, lack of killing people, small cute adorable sidekick…

Ichigo: Its not! It story about totally awesome swordfights and honour and…

Yuzu:… and really cool outfits!

Ichigo: It's a Shonen!

Yuzu: Gender flipped Magical Girl story!

Ichigo: Shonen!

Yuzu: Magical Girl!

Ichigo: Shonen!

*continuing arguing in background*

Rukia: Well I best try to sort this out folks, lookout for the next chapter of this fanfic where I finally give in to lust! *winks*

Ichigo: *screams*

Rukia: Mawawawa!

Yuzu: I hope big sister Rukia joking…

Karin: I think she is…

Ichigo: Why did I have to date a nymphomaniac?! There was no hints when we first met she be like this!

Karin: I thought the rabbit obsession be a bit of a clue myself…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: nakama roughly translates as comrade, but it typically used to describe friends who close as family, someone who you trust absolutely, regardless of differences.**

Chapter 6: Her

Ichigo paced up and down the front room. How much longer were the two girls going to be in the Soul Society?

"_What is it king, feeling good about yourself?" _said Ichigo's Inner Hallow in a mocking tone.

Ichigo swore to himself. A little too loudly as it turned out.

"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu yelled at his outburst, a frown on her face.

"Sorry Yuzu" he said with a sigh as he managed to upset his other little sister. Not that she been in a good mood with him since Karin and Rukia's departure anyway. Constantly ordering Ichigo to help her with the housework and complaining every time he did something ever so slightly wrong. Unsurprisingly Black had left the household shortly after the girls, muttering something about 'pocket plane alignment settings' or something like that.

Then finally as midnight approached the household he heard the front door open and quickly jumped up of the settee he been laying on. Karin and Rukia entered in very high spirits.

"Hey there sexy strawberry!" Rukia said with a girlish giggle, as Ichigo got closer, he smelled the distinctive smell of alcohol on her breath.

"Hey there stupid strawberry!" Karin said with an equally girlish giggle and with a very similar smell on her breath.

Ichigo frowned slightly.

"Rukia please tell me that you didn't get my little sister drunk?" he asked Rukia in a serous tone.

"Course not" she exclaimed, using her how dare you accuse me face.

"My Vice-Captain Matsumoto did" Karin explained in a mock serous tone before breaking into a giggling fit and falling over. Ichigo blinked.

"Karin's part of the Tenth Division now?" he enquired.

"She a Trainee Shinigami of the Tenth Division now" Rukia said with a drunken nod before screaming out. "And I've been promoted to Vice-Captain!"

Ichigo blinked again.

"Seriously?" he asked in disbelief. She giggled in response, it was getting annoying now.

"That means you got to call me Vice-Captain Rukia from now on Strawberry!" She said before breaking into yet another giggling fit. Ichigo sighed.

"You never told me how utterly wild the parties were in Gotei Thirteen Ichi-nii!" Said a rather ecstatic sounding Karin from the floor.

"That's because I never been to one…" Ichigo pointed out in a rather downbeat tone. Karin then laughed her head off.

"Karin, I need to ask you a serous question" Ichigo asked as calmly as he could.

"And what serous question is that stupid strawberry?" she asked him in a clearly unserious tone.

"Will you forgive me for shouting at you?" Ichigo asked in tone that he knew was more than a little pleading sounding. Karin looked at him from the floor.

"Under one condition" she said in a far more sincere and serous tone.

"And what is that Karin?" Ichigo asked her softly.

"Help me get into my bed without waking up anyone in the house and never ever tell anyone I got drunk" she said with a sheepish grin.

"Deal." He replied with his own grin. He then carried out her request and she was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

_Now to deal with the crazy and recently promoted midget_. He quietly thought at he went back to go downstairs. She met him on the landing before he got far however.

"Ichigo!" she yelled in a loud whisper as she jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Vice Captain Midget" he replied with a grin. "You best get to bed too." She smirked as she jumped down and started making her way towards his room.

"Your bed, not mine" he said with as much authority that he could managed. She looked at him with a look that would not have looked out of place on a puppy.

"I behave myself." She said with a slight pleading tone in her voice.

"Rukia, understand that I love you and care about you a lot… but you're drunk and rather acting chappy right now" he said as he moved closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Goodnight Rukia, my love, my savoir, my sensei and most importantly my nakama." He said before lightly kissing her lips. "And sleep well ok?"

"Most impotently my nakama" she repeated softly to herself with a happy look. She the smiled at him softly and departed for her and the twin's room.

The next few days were pretty quiet for Ichigo. Patiently waiting for Black to get to the point where he could start casting the serous magic's he needed was kind of annoying, but it was past Ichigo's control so there wasn't much he could do. Karin on the other hand seemed to be happily counting down the days to Saturday her first 'training day'

And then **she** appeared.

She was so beautiful, tall with eyes that sparkled like sapphires, she cute freckles and long strawberry blond hair! She also was an international student.

"Hello everyone my name is Mary- Luna Starlight-Angelwing Solarflower!" she said with a perfect dazzling smile that seemed to be directed at Ichigo. He felt himself blush.

"I recently moved here from my native England after both my parent were tragically murdered by dark mysterious government agents!" She spoke with the look of grave sadness in her eyes.

"But through in my dark and tragic recently history I was raped by my uncle I have decided firmly to start a new life here in Karakura Town!"

Black jumped up "Oh fair English rose I must grant you my seat!"

"No I must insist that you take my seat over that big geek!" Keigo yelled as he jumped up. Ichigo was about to offer her his seat when she beamed another one of her dazzling smiles.

"Oh its ok guys I'm sure Kuchiki-san will let me take her seat" Mary-Luna said as she gave Rukia the honour of giving up her seat. Then Rukia did something shocking.

"Not happening Solarflower-san, I quiet like sitting next to Ichigo, especially since were a couple."

Everyone in the room gasped.

"Shocking isn't it?" she admitted before twisting it around. "That Ichigo and I are a couple"

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled. "How can you be so rude to Solarflower-san!"

Rukia stared at Ichigo in disbelief before Mary-Luna coughed and grabbed her attention.

"Kuchiki-san would you kindly give up your seat for me?" Mary-Luna said while making strange hand motions. Rukia suddenly got up and let Mary-Luna take her seat. After a few moments Rukia seem to have second thoughts, but was now in the awkward position asking for a seat off the wonderful Mary-Luna. She went and sat next to Uryū. She didn't seem that happy as did so and kept looking down at Ichigo.

The lesson that followed went so quickly to Ichigo; Maybe It was Mary-Luna constant chatter about the wonderful world of stamp collecting. Never had Ichigo realised how just how engrossing a subject it was.

Then after the break, which Ichigo spent in the classroom learning the basics of stamp collecting with Mary-Luna, Rukia re-entered the classroom with that look on her face that Ichigo had learned meant she was going to do some very dramatic. A rather nervous Black was just behind her.

"Oh Solarflower-pyon" she said in an incredibly cutesy manner. "Have you ever heard of this stuff called magic before?"

"Oh you mean things like pulling rabbits out hats and sawing people in half?" she replied with an adorable giggle. "Such silly nonsense!"

"Yes like Ichigo suddenly treating me like nobody….. Black use it now!" She yelled loudly.

"Forth Tier Conjuration, LeFleur's Bitter Truth!" he yelled as he spun a yellow ball out of thin air and threw it into the middle of the room!

It exploded and a yellow gas rapidly filled the room. Ichigo felt a terrible bitter taste fill his mouth and several of classmates made puking sounds. Ichigo turned to look at Mary-Luna as something clicked in his mind. Why the hell had he been so enthralled by her all morning? She was pretty yes, but the expression on her face was a cold and ruthless one. Ichigo also realised with a bit of guilt that he been a bit of jerk to Rukia all morning too.

"How dare you cast such a spell at me child!" she yelled as she made very threatening hand gestures, that looked suspiciously spell like now that he came to think about, towards Black who started screaming in horror, before suddenly stopping and smirking at her.

"You really think I wouldn't have cast protection from evil before facing down someone who both clearly evil and enjoys mind control you stupid girl!" he shouted at her with a slightly crazed happy look in his eyes which Ichigo hadn't seen before.

"Third Tier Conjuration, Flame Arrow!" he screamed as he used his second spell, this one took the form of three arrows, made out of fire, each uncannily making there way toward her, but as they struck her they dissipated harmlessly. She smirked as they did so.

"What, never see there effects of energy immunity spell before?" She said with a giggle escaping her lips. "Let me show you how that spell is really done… Third Tier Conjuration, Flame Arrow!" She yelled out as five, not three, arrows of fire blasted out toward the Black, blasting the horrified mage to the ground, were he lay very still and looked very badly singed.

Ichigo couldn't stand by as a bystander anymore, grabbing his Substitute Shinigami badge, he switched to his Shinigami form and pulling out Zangetsu. However as he did so Mary-Luna made sudden motions with her right hand and Ichigo suddenly found that he couldn't move!

"Cute, but you really have no idea how to fight a Bewilder little boy, be thankful I have no desire to kill you boy…." She said coldly as she turned her gaze to Rukia.

"You of course are a completely different matter" she said with a smirk as she made arcane gestures towards Chad, Who suddenly went rigid.

"Kill her" she ordered. Ichigo watched in frozen horror as Chad raced over and grabbed Rukia's throat, lifting her of the ground as he started to strangulate her.

"This is going to be so fun to watch!" Mary-Luna said with a giggle.

"Indeed it will" Uryū said with a superior tone as he pointed his Quincy bow at her head from behind. Ichigo had nearly forgotten just how quick Uryū was.

"Release Kuchiki-san or die" he said simply and coldly.

"Stop!" she yelled at Chad, who unemotionally released Rukia from his grasp. Rukia dropped to the floor roughly and started to catch her breath.

"Now Arisawa-san." He continued as he held the bow to her head. "Could you get those nice thick boxing gloves of yours out and put them on so called 'Solarflower-sans' hands. I'm not exactly sure who or what she is, but from what I can gather she need full motion of her fingers to do anything. Also Inoue-san, could you see to Sado-kun, Kurosaki-kun and especially Black-san difficulties."

The two girls got to work quickly. Tatsuki, quickly 'disfingered' Mary-Luna with her gloves while Orihime's quickly used Sōten Kisshun, bringing Chad out of Mary-Luna control and freeing Ichigo from her binding spell. She then put her full attention on Black; but it was clearly going to take her time to get the mage on his feet again.

"So 'Mary-Luna'" Uryū asked in tone with a clear hint of both sarcasm and hostility as he said her name. "What reason do you have for trying to kill two of my classmates?"

"Why not?" she said with a silly giggle. "If you expect me to talk, then you will be surprised by…. _squire duck quark_!"

The last three words were spoken in English and as she said them she disappeared into a blue light.

"Dam it!" yelled Uryū in frustration. "She got away!"

"What was all that about?" Ryō asked as she eyed Uryū's bow. At Ichigo looked around he realised that his sensei Ochi had entered the room and was staring right at Ichigo Everyone else was looking at the various strange things in the room A huge sword, blasted class mates, mysterious shields…

"Rukia… "He said softly as he gave her a meaningful look. She replied with a serous nod and pulled out her Kikanshinki.

"Everyone say Chappy!" she said with a bright smile, grabbing everyone attention, just pushed the Kikanshinki duck head down and filled the whole room with yet more smoke. Ichigo jumped quickly back into his body and Uryū dismissed his bow. Orihime dismissed her fairies as Black was now recovered enough to stand.

As was everyone else, not a single one had been knocked out by the Kikanshinki.

"Aren't superheroes supposed to make there escape in a cloud of smoke?" Michiru said with a slightly bewildered look on her face.

"And where's Kurosaki-kun's sword gone too?" Ryō inquired. "It was so big and now it's gone completely."

"And Inoue-chan's magical fairies!" said an excited Chizuru "There were amazing as she is!"

Orihime made a nervous laugh in reply.

"It seems we have run into what's typically referred too as 'technical problems'" Black stated. "It's most likely an effect of the bleeding of spiritual energy Kuchiki-d…san"

He nearly slipped into referring to her as nobility, slipped too close as it turned out.

"Kuchiki is Kuchiki-dono!" exclaimed Chizuru in surprised.

"She must be the founder of this group of superheros!" Michiru spoke in an excited tone.

"Were not superheroes Natsui-san." Uryū explained "Were friends with considerable spiritual powers, except Black-san. Who the hell is Black-san come to think of it?" He looked toward Rukia with a questioning look on his face.

"Retainer Black Timothy, servant of the noble clan of Kuchiki, conjurer of the sixth tier" Black said with pride, grabbing the Quincy's attention.

"I hired him on Monday, because he seems handy. " Rukia said with a dismissive tone.

"Me, Kojima-kun and Asano-kun already knew a bit about Ichigo big sword wielding antic by the way" Tatsuki explained as calmly as she was talking about the weather. "The hat and clogs guy explained the basic of what Shinigami do to us when we followed you three guys to his shop." She said as she motioned to Ichigo, Chad and Uryū.

"So you're all Shinigami, bar Black-san?" Chizuru asked curiously. Uryū frowned as she did.

"Only Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun are Shinigami" He explained before adding. "I'm a far more noble Quincy archer , Inoue-san got some kind of reality bending power and Chad got his weird arms, and before you ask no one really sure how either of there powers work."

"We fight bad spirits called Hallows." Rukia said seriously as she returned to her original seat next to Ichigo. "Sometimes we have to great lengths to stop them hurting people. In the end that all you really need to know about what we do."

The class went quiet a while.

"We keep this all this quiet, even if your memory changing thing failed Kuchiki-san" said Tatsuki said as she turned to look at the surprised Rukia. "Yes I figured out what the duck thing was to meant to do, but don't sweat, you looked after us, its only right we keep your secrets... secret"

The rest of the class nodded firmly.

"Well this explains why this class absence levels have risen since Kuchiki-san entered the school at any rate." Ochi-sensei said as she finally sat down. "But all this mess is no excuse for us to be any latter starting class! Black-san, get rid of the gas now!"

And with that they started class… but nothing was ever quiet the same after that for Ichigo at school.

Arcane Encyclopaedia

Black: Now you lucky and most wonderful reader will now get to read the arca….

Gin: Shoot to kill Shinsō!

*Black is shot out of sight*

Victorious Gin: Now for me to explain how spells work my audience! If you have any question, now is the time to ask!

Rukia: Why wasn't I charmed like the rest of the class, was it because the 'power of love'™?

Gin: Course not, it because you're an outsider.

Emo Rukia: Woe oh woe is me! However much I try to fit in I will never truly be part of the world of the living's social circles, for that is my fate!

Gin: Actually in this sense outsider means 'soul with no permanent body'; your perceived inability to fit in is due to your insecurities that started with your sister abandoning you. They got made considerable worse by a over controlling stepbrother and a man you were in love with dying in your arms.

Rukia:…

Gin: Moving on, the reason why that Mary decided to only to target the humans in the room is because to target everything in the room would cost her far more mana.

Rukia: Her cost cutting cost her victory…ha!

*Rukia does a victory dance that looks suspiciously bunny inspired*

Cold Mary: You trying being a mage who has run out of mana smart guy! You learn to cut down on pointless mana use when you can!

Gin: Indeed, you become a spiritual aware human with terrible fashion sense, an inflated ego and a good memory.

Black and Mary: Hey!

Gin: By the way Black… Shoot to kill Shinsō!

*sounds of a Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 !-- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} -- certain mage being throw of screen once again*


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Training day

Yuzu was worried. Really worried. More worried than she ever been in fact. It had all started two days ago when brother and several of his friends had come home after school.

Rukia was with brother of course. Black was hardly unexpected, since he been visiting a lot since Monday. But when Chad, Orihime, Tatsuki and Uryū had all come in behind them, Yuzu knew something was afoot and knew that something bad. She waited till only brother was still downstairs.

"Ichi-nii, what wrong?" she asked in as sweet and none worried sounding tone as she could, trying not to worry brother more than necessary. He looked down at her with a thoughtful look before speaking.

"Yuzu, I want you to understand something important before I tell you what wrong" he said in a soft tone. "I got to fight, because other people can't and because if I didn't, I wouldn't be me."

Yuzu gulped slightly, but nodded. She knew he meant every word he was saying and any amount of Yuzu pleading with him to stay out of things was a waste of time.

"Today a Bewilder attacked my class." he said in the same soft tone. "A mage who specialises in magic that messes with perceptions and gets inside peoples heads. She nearly killed Rukia and Black and I don't think Chad will be sleeping very well tonight. The thing is Yuzu that she was using magic at a much higher level than Black-san, which means she's easily an Archmage. Which means it going to be up to me and my friends to bring her down."

Yuzu looked at her brother and sighed deeply.

"Just remember to come back Ichi-nii." She said. He nodded in replied and went upstairs to plan with his friends. Yuzu felt her stomach knot up.

Now it was Saturday and it was her twin who was going to war, or training for war to be more precise.

"Right, I be best in my football training gear you think?" Karin asked Yuzu as she looked hastily looked through her wardrobe.

"Doesn't brother normally wear a black kimono?" Yuzu asked.

"Note the lack of one in my wardrobe …dam it!" Karin yelled as she heard a knock on the door from downstairs. "That be Captain Hitsugaya! Yuzu go down and greet him while I get dressed, offer him a drink or something to buy me time!"

With that Yuzu rushed downstairs, went to the front door and opened it

She was suddenly very painfully aware that she was still in her pyjamas, the one with the pink bunnies on.

"Is Karin up yet?" The boy asked. He was really cool with spiky light grey hair and eyes that remind her of glaciers.

"You ok?" he asked her in tone that was so reassuring. Yuzu felt herself blush as she realised that she must have been staring at him.

"Y… yes!" She managed stammered out.

"I'm Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō by the way" he said while looking so cool, but Yuzu found his words so hard to believe.

"But you look only a bit older than me!" she blurted out. Tōshirō sighed.

"Look I know I'm short, but trust me when I say I'm older than I look." He said seriously. "Much, much older. I mean consider Kuchiki Rukia and me. Both of us are in three digits and she's only older than me by a decade or two and you have no issues with calling her Captain would you?

Something very important clicked in Yuzu head.

"Ichi-nii dating a woman older than dad!" she yelled with alarm. Tōshirō blinked.

"You only just realised this haven't you?" Tōshirō remarked. Yuzu softly nodded. "Don't worry, your brother dating Kuchiki-san is hardly like him dating a middle aged woman or anything. Kuchiki Rukia is basically a teenager, one with a lot of emotional baggage admittedly…"

Yuzu stared at him a while, he was so wise! She then realised that she not introduced herself.

"My name Kurosaki Yuzu by the way Captain Hitsugaya!" she blurted out. Tōshirō smiled slightly in a dignified manner.

"Much more polite than your brother, he's always calling me Tōshirō…." He said with a mutter.

"Well Ichi-nii like that you find Captain Hitsugaya." Said Karin calmly as she walked down the stairs "terrible at talking to people, much better at taking action. He's your typical knuckleheaded type hero basically."

"Good to see your ready Kurosaki-san" he said in a dignified manner in contrast to her more semi serous tones.

"Just call me Karin or I might start calling you Tōs-chan" she said with a smirk. "You called me by my name before and with the number of Kurosaki's about it could get confusing if you just use Kurosaki-san."

Yuzu stared at her sister, what game was she playing? Had she forgot that this wasn't just some random guy, but was a Shinigami Captain!

"Oh have it your way then." He said with slightly annoyed look. "But you best be willing to train hard enough to earn it… Karin."

And with that he turned around, Karin followed him, followed him in her quest to become a warrior. Yuzu's stomach knotted up once again.

Karin followed Tōshirō into the old woods; they walked in silence for ages.

"You know of anyone who comes here at all Karin?" he finally asked as they worked the way truly deep into the woods.

"Actually no one comes here, because they say it haunted." She replied as they finally came to a stop.

"Well it certainly will be this afternoon Karin. "He said with a slight smirk as he pulled out a glove with a skull like symbol on it. "We need privacy for training; last thing I want is some random passably to find your body on the ground with no vital signs"

"What you mean no vital signs?" she said in alarm, just before he punched her in the head.

Then as she fell out her own body, she saw it fall into Tōshirō's arms. He then gently put it down by a tree, a little bit out the way.

"Ha ha, very funny." Karin said sarcastically as picked herself of the floor. She looked down at herself and noticed she was still in the same cloths, but in addition there was a chain on her chest that went all the way to well, her other chest.

"That you're Chain of Fate by the way." Tōshirō said as her followed her eyes. "As long as it remains in one piece you can return to your body. If it breaks, one of two things will happen. Either you will corrupt into a Hallow within three days or you will find the power within yourself to become a Shinigami."

Karin gulped as she thought about it. Suddenly she understood why Ichigo had reacted the way he did, Shinigami or Hallow within three days, in seventy two hours she could be a monster!

"So you going to cut it and wait three days to see if I can pull it off?" She asked him somewhat nervously. Tōshirō laughed.

"You're getting way ahead of yourself Karin." He said while smirking somewhat. "While certain people might decide to use hastily and stupidly dangerous methods to become Shinigami, I don't. First I will train you and teach you, so when I do finally bring Hyōrinmaru down on your chain; you will be capable of becoming a Shinigami with ease."

"Right, despite the fact I'm most certainly going to be having nightmares of turning into a monster now, I really do think it time we started training". She said with her hands on her hips.

"Ok let starts with something simple, could you do ten sit-ups for me Karin?" he said in serous tones. Karin rolled her eyes as he spoke

"Oh come on, a mere ten Captain Hitsugaya?" she said as she glared at him. "Do you forget that I'm a keen sportswoman? Ten will be a walk in the park!"

He glared back just as hard.

"Then do them Karin, if it so easy for you." He said in the same serous tone. With a quick tut Karin lay down on the floor and started doing her first sit-up. Trying to do her first sit-up. Trying very hard to do her first sit-up.

"You're starting to see aren't you Karin?" Tōshirō said with a superior look on his face. "Your spiritual body is weak as a kitten."

"No joke!" She yelled as she fell back

"But Karin." He said as he leaned his face close to hers. "All you have to do is ten sit-ups and you can go home."

Karin knew it was going to be a long day.

Tatsuki wandered pretty aimlessly through the library. Orihime was currently looking through the romance section, which frankly bored Tatsuki silly.

She wandered for a bit, looking half heartedly through the biography section until she saw Black in the corner, using a laptop. For lack of something better to do, she went to say hi.

"Hey there Black-san." She asked politely. "What you up too?"

He looked up with a nervous smile.

"Oh I'm just emailing my co-apprentice Chawwi information about what been going off lately." He explained in that nervous but polite tone of his "Our sensei isn't big on computers, so I just trust Chawwi to pass the information on for me when reporting back home."

"Jezzs, so you're the other side of the world and you still have hand in homework to your sensei?" Tatsuki remarked in joking tone.

"But she's my sensei!" he said with a shocked look on his face as he stood up. "It's a great honour to help her. A very great honour! She's beautiful, wise, smart, cunning, knowledgeable and an archmage of the ninth tier! For me, one of her humble apprentices to give one as great as her real help is something to be proud of!"

Tatsuki blinked. She made a mental note to remember that Black was ultrasensitive about anything to do with his sensei.

"Anyway I have been wondering." She spoke after Black seemed to calm down a bit. "Can you read the future with that magic of yours at all?"

He stared at her a while, as if weighing something up.

"Kind of." Black eventually said. "I'm no oracle, but I can certainly show you your Stand of Fate and roughly where it going."

"That sounds neat!" Tatsuki replied with happy interest. Blacked looked around (nervously of course).

"Ok seems no one really paying us any attention… Third Tier Divination, Cards of Fate." He spoke quietly and with that several silver cards appeared in his hands.

"Pick a card, any card." He spoke in tone that attempt to sound showbiz, but just sounded like a nervous American. She took the middle card and turned it around to look at it. The card showed a European styled knight with an elaborately designed golden cup in his hands.

"Let's see…." He spoke as he took the card and placed it on the table. "That the Grail Knight card. Since that's the first card you drawn, that card represents you. I assume you're a protective sort of person with something or someone you are willing to lay your life down for?"

Tatsuki nodded seriously.

"Right I casted the spell right then." He said with a somewhat relived look. "Pick another card."

She pulled out another and was slightly surprised by the picture; it showed her badly beaten with a broken sword in her hand.

"That is your past card" Black went on. "Judging from the imagery I assume you had a lot of fights that didn't go your way in the past?"

Tatsuki nodded, remembering that painful memory of those Espada and the crater

"Time for the next card then." He stated as he offered her the cards again. She pulled out another; this one had a Grim Reaper on it.

"Oh that's an easy read; your near future will be strongly affected by Shinigami."

"I could predict that one easily enough myself, I guess I take another card?" she asked with her fingers hovering over the deck. Black nodded. It was another card with her likeness on, but on it she was spinning around and looked rather dizzy.

"That's Confusion I think." Black stated. "It means in your slightly more distance future you're going have something come up that well and truly confuse you and while it won't drive you literally insane, because that be represented by the Insanity card, it will cause you considerable distress."

"Well least I got a bit of advance warning on it at least" Tatsuki said with a sigh.

"Final card Arisawa-san" Black said while offering her the deck once more. She pulled out a card and on it was a simple heart on a blank silver background. Black looked down at it quiet surprised.

"Well you don't see that one very often!" he said with a smile. "That is the Soulmate card. It means that you will find your soulmate not terrible long after you overcome whatever causing you confusion."

Tatsuki looked down at the card, it such a simple one really, yet it meant soulmate…

"Don't suppose there any way of discovering the whom is there?" Tatsuki asked probingly.

"Not unless you can find an Archmage level Diviner specialist." Black said as he picked up the cards and made them disappear.

Tatsuki sighed.

"Anyway I best find Orihime." She said as she stood up. "You keep safe Black-san."

It was early evening when Karin finally got back to her home. Tōshirō helped her walk along.

"Why do I feel like I been repeatedly wacked with a large hammer to the stomach Captain Hitsugaya?" she asked as she pushed open the door.

"Torn stomach muscle tissues from training" he spoke softly, his voice quiet close to her ear. "wounds in spiritual form manifest on your mortal body when you return to it."

"Fun to know." She said as the two of them walked into the living room to find the whole family waiting for her.

"Where have you been till this time young lady!" yelled her father . "And who…is… this?"

His word slowed down at he turned round to get a good look at a suddenly wide eyed Tōshirō.

"Captain Shiba…" were the words that fell from his mouth. Rukia's eyes went wide.

"Oh great, why does everyone in this family keep secrets from each other?" was the best response Karin could think up on the fly.

Who is Tatsuki's soulmate!

*Enter Orihime in a big fancy green dress on a stage with lot of fancy lights about it, including the words 'Who is Tatsuki's soulmate?!' with lots of love hearts around it*

Orihime: Good evening everyone! Tonight were going to play a game 'Who is Tatsuki's soulmate?!'

*Crowd cheers*

Orihime: And here is the lucky girl herself!

*Enter slightly awkward looking Tatsuki is a more modest dress*

Orihime: Welcome Tatsuki! How you feel about your chances of finding your soulmate today?

Tatsuki: Aren't I supposed to go through a fair bit of confusion first?

*Orihime giggles*

Orihime: Of course hence… the Lights of Confused Hearts!

*Four big pink love heart shaped door are illuminated and soppy music is played*

Orihime: Ta da! Are you willing to play…. 'Who is Tatsuki's soulmate?!'

Tatsuki: Erm, I guess.

*Soppy music plays once again*

Orihime: Your first would be suitor is a man of courage with a deep respect for all life. He been showed to even risk his own life for those who shown him cruelty in the past!

Optimistic Tatsuki: Now that's the kind of guy I like to meet!

Orihime: Everyone say a big hello to…. Kaizō Konpaku!

*Big pink love heart number one opens up to show Kon in a suit with flowers in his hands*

Kon: Hello reasonable big breasted beauty!

*Tatsuki glares then run and kicks Kon right out the studio*

Tatsuki: Perverted stuffed toys, not my taste Orihime.

Orihime: Aww but he's so alone… oh well time to move to our second would be suitor! This man is deeply devoted to his loved ones, well educated and is really exotic and polite! Everyone give Timmy a big warm welcome!

*Big pink love heart number two opens up to show a nervous Black in a suit, also with flowers and wearing his shades*

Orihime: You be able to take him on lovely date to your Karate class and show him just how you got that black belt of yours!

Black: Black… belt….

*run away screaming like a little girl*

Orihime: Oh dear I think Timmy might be little bit scared of you Tatsuki!

Tatsuki: I think he's a lot scared of me…

Orihime: Oh well, let introduce you to would be suitor number three! This man hold a position of respect amongst his peers and is highly skilled warrior whose coolness is only matched by his honourable conduct! Everyone say hello to Tōshirō!

*Fangirls scream as big pink love heart number three opens up to show a small letter on the floor*

Tatsuki: Huh?

* Tatsuki goes up and picks up the letter*

*reads*

_Dear Tatsuki_

_Tragically we both realised that there was no way that Tōshirō could be your soulmate because he was suddenly and urgently needed elsewhere We get back to you when we figured out where this is exactly._

_Yours Faithfully _

_Kurosaki Karin and Yuzu_

Tatsuki: Gah, He sounded fun too!

Orihime: Never fear there still door number four left!

Tatsuki: Can't be any worse than the last three…

Orihime: You known suitor number four a long time, in fact you have playful fights with them all the time!

Tatsuki: Finally someone who doesn't mind that I'm actually a warrior at heart!

Orihime: Say hello to our forth brave suitor Chizuru!

*Big pink love heart number four opens up to show Chizuru in a beautiful and rather sexy looking red dress*

Angry and clearly very surprised Tatsuki: I'm not a lesbian Orihime!!!

Orihime: But Chizuru seemed so enthusiastic about it all…

Chizuru: Oh dear it seem I got all dressed up for nothing then... but oh wait there Orihime all alone on a night like…

*Sound of Tatsuki fist connecting with Chizuru's head*


End file.
